Improved car-coupling



.v BEVELANDER.

` .Car Coupling. y No. :87,622.

Patented March 9, 1869.

r Bauma/ntlV BEVELANDER, or BoSToN, MASSACHUSETTS. i

V Laim Puma No. 87,622, daad March 9,1869.

IMPRovEn CAR-couPLING.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent andmaking part of the same. y

To all whom it lmar/y concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN BEVELANDER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an ImprovementJ in Clar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken 'in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention sucient to enable those skilled in the art to practise it.

This invention relates to a device by which cars are automatically coupled by the act of bringing the couplings together, the act of uncoupling being performed by manipulation, said device consisting of two pivoted arms, provided with opposed heads, of theshapes shown in the drawings, and withweights, as shown, there being one arm located at each end of a car, in suitable jaws attached to the draught-bar of the car.

Figure l, of the drawings, shows, in sectional elevation, the coupling, embodyingmy invention. exhibiting the parts of the coupling as engaged.v

Figure 2 is a View similar to fig. l, showing the parts of the coupling as engaged in a manner the reverse of that shown in iig. 1, in which figure is shown, in red lines, the position of the part-s in uneoupling.

The platforms of two adjacent cars are shown by a a, portions of the common draughtbars beneath the platforms, and attached to each car, being shown by b b, said portions' terminating, as shown, with jaws cio, in which are pivoted, at del, the arms fj, having ends or heads as shown, said heads being pointed, so that when they are brought together, one will deect the other,

.so that the two heads will slide past each other, and

will couple or engage as shown.

The arms ff extend to the rear of their pivots d d, and to said extensions, Weights q g are fixed, by rods .71, lil, the couplings, the rods, and weights, making bent levers' pivoted at d d. p

"This arrangement is such, that, by the gravitation of the weights, the parts f f of the couplings are, when apart, held horizontally, and when they are brought together, the weight of one part holds it up, and the weight of the other part holds it down, each part against the other part, with the barb-like parts of the heads of the `arms ff interlooked.

The normal or horizontal position of one of the arms f is shown in lig. 1, in red lines, and the position which the other arm is made' to assume, by manipulation in uncoupling, is also shown in red lines in the same figure, there being a chain or rope, fi, attached to each coupling, by vwhich one or the other ofthe arms may be lifted out of gear with its fellow.

It will be observed that in my construction no springs, levers, or other appliances are used or needed to secure the proper action of the self-locking barbs, and all complication and liability to derangement are, avoided.

When springs are used with barbed hooks, serious objections exist, some of which are as follows:

All springs act by flexing the metal, andthe period at which the spring will lose its flexibility, or break, is a mere question of time. They arealso constantly exposed to fracture, when used in car-couplings, and are always subject to extreme thermal changes, and, in very cold weather', will snap and break, even though wellmade, and having no flaws.

I dispense with all springs of all kinds.

It will also be observed, that whichever' barbed head may lodge uppermost, will have its weight upon the same side of its centre of gravity, as the other weight willoccnpy relative to its centre of gravity,I so that the upper barbed head will be forced down, and the lower one forced up, by necessity; y.

I claim the coupling, as made with arms' having pointed and barbed heads, pivoted, and provided with weights, arranged to operate substantially as described.

B. BEVELANDER.

Witnesses:

J. B.'GRosBY, FRANCIS GOULD. 

